AUBURN HILLS -- Will Bynum has had plenty of opportunity to critique the Detroit Pistons' fourth-quarter inefficiency as his return date draws closer, and said the team simply hasn't valued late-game possessions enough.

Bynum has missed the last nine consecutive games and 14 of 16 with a hamstring injury.

"Especially at the end of the game, it's the little things, the sprinting into screens, executing, spacing on the court," he said. "Down the stretch, that's critical."

The Pistons (11-13) have outscored opponents in fourth quarters eight times in 24 games.

Getting some backcourt veterans healthy might help address that problem, with Chauncey Billups also recently back from injury, and Bynum hoping to return either for today's 6 p.m. game against the Portland Trail Blazers here, or Monday at Indiana.

Bynum said running an offense late in a close game should be more instinctive than it has been recently, with plays centered on Brandon Jennings and Rodney Stuckey, often to the exclusion of others.

"It's just managing the game and taking good shots," Bynum said. "It's kind of simple, I mean, as far as running the shot clock down, not taking too quick of a shot unless it's a layup, the time and score, who has it going, where to get them the ball, what play to call for that particular person. I think it's just that, it's just running the team.

"I think by the time the fourth quarter starts, you know who has it going and who doesn't. You know what's been working and what hasn't been working, as far as plays being called. So at that point, it's just managing the game, taking the right shots at the right time."

Billups said after Saturday's 103-99 win over the Brooklyn Nets, a game the Pistons led by 18 after three quarters before the lead shriveled to two, that the Pistons must "quit playing not to lose the game, play to win."

"If you do, and you get hesitant and you get passive, and the other team gets aggressive, this is what happens," Billups said.

Pistons coach Maurice Cheeks openly has said he intends to feature Stuckey and Jennings in late-game situations, and consistently has followed through on that promise.

"Throughout the course of the game, it's ups and downs, it's runs that they go on," Bynum said. "But in the fourth quarter, it's critical to get the ball where it needs to be, whether that's to Greg (Monroe), to Josh (Smith), to Brandon, to Stuckey, or to Andre (Drummond)."